The present invention relates generally to medical cutting, irrigating, evacuating, cleaning, and drilling techniques and, more particularly to a system for introducing conditioned fluids into the cutting, irrigating, evacuating, cleaning, and drilling techniques.
A prior art dental/medical work station 11 is shown in FIG. 1. A vacuum line 12 and an air supply line 13 supply negative and positive pressures, respectively. A water supply line 14 and an electrical outlet 15 supply water and power, respectively. The vacuum line 12, the air supply line 13, the water supply line 14, and the power source 15 are all connected to the dental/medical unit 16.
The dental/medical unit 16 may comprise a dental seat or an operating table, a sink, an overhead light, and other conventional equipment used in dental and medical procedures. The dental/medical unit 16 provides water, air, vacuum and/or power to the instruments 17. These instruments may include an electrocauterizer, an electromagnetic energy source, a mechanical drill, a mechanical saw, a canal finder, a syringe, and/or an evacuator.
The electromagnetic energy source is typically a laser coupled with a delivery system. The laser 18a and delivery system 19a, both shown in phantom, as well as any of the above-mentioned instruments, may be connected directly to the dental/medical unit 16. Alternatively, the laser 18b and delivery system 19b, both shown in phantom, may be connected directly to the water supply 14, the air supply 13, and the electric outlet 15. Other instruments 17 may be connected directly to any of the vacuum line 12, the air supply line 13, the water supply line 14, and/or the electrical outlet 15.
The laser 18 and delivery system 19 may typically comprise an electromagnetic cutter for dental use. A conventional prior art electromagnetic cutter is shown in FIG. 2. According to this prior art apparatus, a fiber guide tube 30, a water line 31, an air line 32, and an air knife line 33 (which supplies pressurized air) may be fed from the dental/medical unit 16 into the hand-held apparatus 34. A cap 35 fits onto the hand-held apparatus 34 and is secured via threads 36. The fiber guide tube 30 abuts within a cylindrical metal piece 37. Another cylindrical metal piece 38 is a part of the cap 35. When the cap 35 is threaded onto the hand-held device 34, the two cylindrical metal tubes 37 and 38 are moved into very close proximity of one another. The pressurized air from the air knife line 33 surrounds and cools the laser as the laser bridges the gap between the two metal cylindrical objects 37 and 38. Air from the air knife line 33 flows out of the two exhausts 39 and 41 after cooling the interface between elements 37 and 38.
The laser energy exits from the fiber guide tube 42 and is applied to a target surface within the patient's mouth, according to a predetermined surgical plan. Water from the water line 31 and pressurized air from the air line 32 are forced into the mixing chamber 43. The air and water mixture is very turbulent in the mixing chamber 43, and exits this chamber through a mesh screen with small holes 44. The air and water mixture travels along the outside of the fiber guide tube 42, and then leaves the tube 42 and contacts the area of surgery. The air and water spray coming from the tip of the fiber guide tube 42 helps to cool the target surface being cut and to remove materials cut by the laser.
Water is generally used in a variety of laser cutting operations in order to cool the target surface. Additionally, water is used in mechanical drilling operations for cooling the target surface and removing cut or drilled materials therefrom. Many prior art cutting or drilling systems use a combination of air and water, commonly combined to form a light mist, for cooling a target surface and/or removing cut materials from the target surface.
The use of water in these prior art systems has been somewhat successful for the limited purposes of cooling a target surface or removing debris therefrom. These prior art uses of water in cutting and drilling operations, however, have not allowed for versatility, outside of the two functions of cooling and removing debris. In particular, during cutting or drilling operations, medication treatments, preventative measure applications, and aesthetically pleasing substances, such as flavors or aromas, have not been possible or used. A conventional drilling operation may benefit from the use of an anesthetic near the drilling operation, for example, but during this drilling operation only water and/or air has so far been used. In the case of a laser cutting operation, a disinfectant, such as iodine, could be applied to the target surface during drilling to guard against infection, but this additional disinfectant has not been applied during such laser cutting operations. In the case of an oral drilling or cutting operation, unpleasant tastes or odors may be generated, which may be unpleasing to the patient. The conventional use of only water during this oral procedure does not mask the undesirable taste or odor. A need has thus existed in the prior art for versatility of applications and of treatments during drilling and cutting procedures.
Compressed gases, pressurized air, and electrical motors are commonly used to provide the driving force for mechanical cutting instruments, such as drills, in dentistry and medicine. The compressed gases and pressurized water are subsequently ejected into the atmosphere in close proximity to or inside of the patient's mouth and/or nose. The same holds true for electrically driven turbines when a cooling spray (air and water) is typically ejected into the patient's mouth, as well. These ejected fluids commonly contain vaporous elements of burnt flesh or drilled tissue structure. This odor can be quite uncomfortable for the patient, and can increase trauma experienced by the patient during the drilling or cutting procedure. In a such a drilling or cutting procedure, a mechanism for masking the smell and the odor generated from the cutting or drilling may be advantageous.
Another problem exists in the prior art with bacteria growth on surfaces within a dental operating room. The interior surfaces of air, vacuum, and water lines of the dental unit, for example, are subject to bacteria growth. Additionally, the air and water used to cool the tissue being cut or drilled within the patient's mouth is often vaporized into the air to some degree. This vaporized air and water condensates on surfaces of the dental equipment within the dental operating room. These moist surfaces can also promote bacteria growth, which is undesirable. A system for reducing the bacteria growth within air, vacuum, and water lines, and for reducing the bacteria growth resulting from condensation on exterior surfaces, is needed to reduce sources of contamination within a dental operating room.